List of governors of Wisconsin

List of governors of the U.S. state of Wisconsin

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The Governor of Wisconsin is the head of the executive branch of Wisconsin's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Wisconsin Legislature, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of treason or impeachment.

List of Governors of Wisconsin

The following is a list of individuals who have served as Governor of Wisconsin from the time it became a state in 1848 to the present.

Territorial Governors

Before Wisconsin became a state, it was part of the Wisconsin Territory. The territorial governors were appointed by the President of the United States.

• Henry Dodge (1836–1841)
• James Duane Doty (1841–1844)
• Nathaniel P. Tallmadge (1844–1845)
• Henry Dodge (1845–1848)

State Governors

Wisconsin was admitted to the Union on May 29, 1848. Since then, the state has had a number of governors, each elected to a four-year term.

• Nelson Dewey (1848–1852)
• Leonard J. Farwell (1852–1854)
• William A. Barstow (1854–1856)
• Coles Bashford (1856–1858)
• Alexander W. Randall (1858–1862)
• Louis P. Harvey (1862)
• Edward Salomon (1862–1864)
• James T. Lewis (1864–1866)
• Lucius Fairchild (1866–1872)
• Cadwallader C. Washburn (1872–1874)
• William R. Taylor (1874–1876)
• Harrison Ludington (1876–1878)
• William E. Smith (1878–1882)
• Jeremiah McLain Rusk (1882–1889)
• William D. Hoard (1889–1891)
• George W. Peck (1891–1895)
• William H. Upham (1895–1897)
• Edward Scofield (1897–1901)
• Robert M. La Follette Sr. (1901–1906)
• James O. Davidson (1906–1911)
• Francis E. McGovern (1911–1915)
• Emanuel L. Philipp (1915–1921)
• John J. Blaine (1921–1927)
• Fred R. Zimmerman (1927–1929)
• Walter J. Kohler Sr. (1929–1931)
• Philip La Follette (1931–1933)
• Albert G. Schmedeman (1933–1935)
• Philip La Follette (1935–1939)
• Julius P. Heil (1939–1943)
• Walter S. Goodland (1943–1947)
• Oscar Rennebohm (1947–1951)
• Walter J. Kohler Jr. (1951–1957)
• Vernon W. Thomson (1957–1959)
• Gaylord Nelson (1959–1963)
• John W. Reynolds Jr. (1963–1965)
• Warren P. Knowles (1965–1971)
• Patrick J. Lucey (1971–1977)
• Martin J. Schreiber (1977–1979)
• Lee S. Dreyfus (1979–1983)
• Anthony S. Earl (1983–1987)
• Tommy Thompson (1987–2001)
• Scott McCallum (2001–2003)
• Jim Doyle (2003–2011)
• Scott Walker (2011–2019)
• Tony Evers (2019–present)

Powers and Duties

The governor's responsibilities include ensuring that the laws of Wisconsin are faithfully executed, serving as the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces, and having the power to approve or veto legislation passed by the Wisconsin State Legislature. The governor also has the authority to convene the legislature and grant pardons, except in cases of treason or impeachment.

Also see

• Wisconsin State Legislature
• Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
• History of Wisconsin
• Politics of Wisconsin